Graham Elliot Settles Lawsuit

The celebrity chef from Chicago was being sued over unfair employment wages.

Facebook/Graham Elliot

Graham Elliot restaurant, where the illegal tip pooling took place.

Graham Elliot is one of Food & Wine Magazine’s Ten Best New Chefs of 2004 and a three-time nominee for a James Beard award. He makes regular TV appearances on shows like Iron Chef America, Top Chef Masters and MasterChef, and owns three very successful restaurants in Chicago — Graham Elliot, Grahamwich and g.e.b.

Regardless of his success, Elliot doesn’t seem to want to share the wealth — literally.

In March of this year, Elliot was sued by 14 former servers at Graham Elliot, based on Gregory Curtis’ claim of illegal tip pooling. Minimum wage for tipped employees is much lower than normal because they are entitled to take home all of their tips. However, Curtis says the tips were pooled amongst cooks and food runners too, who are paid traditional minimum wage because they aren’t entitled to tips. The suit demands back wages plus interest for Curtis and the other servers.

TMZ reported on Sunday that the lawsuit has now been settled for an undisclosed amount, paid by Elliot to his former employees.